10/10/2022
Over the summer I spent several weeks in Nairobi. I was fortunate enough to spend the day with a tribal family who shared their culture with me. This is Rispa. Her husband is an elder in the Maasai tribe which inhabits primarily Kenya and Tanzania. The Maasai are one of few tribes left which have maintained the simplicities of their culture while others have mainly conformed to modern society. While the Maasai have maintained culture, they are pushing forward in women’s rights. Daniel, Rispa’s husband spoke to me about the importance of women’s rights. Mainly, the abandonment of belief in female mutilation (circumcision) and the importance of womens education. During our meal time, I spoke with Rispa and she told me her life story. It was heartbreaking and moving. Rispa was married at 12, after her circumcision ceremony through traditional dowry. She moved into her husbands family home by 15 was caregiver to her three children and Daniel’s younger siblings as his mother had passed. Rispa described this time as incredibly hard saying “How could I take care of so many children? I was really just a child myself.” She described coming into herself in her 20s and beamed when she talked about her 11 children. Today, she is part of a program that shares cultures, and gives back to the villages. While herding is a large part of life for the Maasai, the women are heavily involved in art, primarily beading. Which Rispa taught me. We spoke about Warrior requirements, outdated historical beliefs, traditional home building, tribal expectations, food preparation, life’s challenges, and philosophy on overcoming them. There is nothing like breaking bread with other cultures. Your compassion expands and you learn a lot about yourself.
🇰🇪